NFL Week 1 Sunday Night Football— Ferguson And Dart Player Props

The NFC East is in the spotlight on Sunday Night Football in Week 1. The New York Giants are hosting the Dallas Cowboys . The visitors are 3.0-point favorites in New Jersey. The spread is slight, but it matters for the expected game script, which is critical to play-calling projections.

The favored Cowboys might not need to air it out from start to finish. Meanwhile, the underdog Giants might need to drop back more often to keep up or catch up. While the expected game script was considered, it wasn't the only factor behind the following two player props: an under on receiving yards for a tertiary pass-catching option on the Cowboys, and an over on Big Blue's dual-threat quarterback.

NFL Week 1: Sunday Night Football Player Props

Jake Ferguson Under 30.5 Receiving Yards (-115) at DraftKings Sportsbook

Jaxson Dart Over 30.5 Rushing Yards (-110) at BetMGM

Jake Ferguson was a reliable pass-catching option for Dak Prescott and the Cowboys last year, logging 102 targets, 82 receptions (4.8 per game), 600 receiving yards (35.3 per game) and eight touchdown receptions. He also had only 7.3 yards per reception, a career low, and 5.9 yards per target, the second-lowest-mark in his career, behind only his 5.7 yards per target in 2025.

Ferguson isn't a dynamic or efficient receiver. Furthermore, his overall numbers are inflated by the time CeeDee Lamb was limited or missed last year. Ferguson played 13 games when Lamb played at least 20 snaps and four when Lamb fell short of that threshold.

In the four games that Lamb fell short of 20 snaps, Ferguson had a 68.4% route participation rate, 22.3% target share, 0.31 targets per route run (TPRR), 7.5 receptions per game, 51.0 receiving yards per game and 1.92 yards per route run (Y/RR).

In the 13 games when Lamb played at least 20 snaps, Ferguson had a 69.8% route participation rate, 14.1% target share, 0.18 TPRR, 4.0 receptions per game, 30.5 receiving yards per game and 1.07 Y/RR.

As the splits demonstrate, Ferguson was much less involved and efficient when he was bumped down the pecking order behind Lamb and George Pickens . Ryan Flournoy is also a roadblock to Ferguson's receiving opportunities, and the Cowboys thought enough of the young wide receiver to sign him to a one-year contract extension on Friday.

The Cowboys likely won't need much from their steady-but-unspectacular tight end on Sunday night. After failing to clear even 20 receiving yards in his last four games played in 2025 , Ferguson should come up short of 30.5 receiving yards on Sunday Night Football in Week 1.

Jaxson Dart teased his potential last season, which included giving the opposition trouble with his legs. As a rookie, Dart averaged 7.0 rush attempts and 40.6 rushing yards per game in his 12 starts.

He was used at times as a designed runner, but he was also lethal as a scrambler. Dart's 290 scramble yards were the ninth most among quarterbacks last year. Conversely, the Cowboys were tied for the third-most scramble yards allowed per game in 2025 at 19.3. With designed runs factored in, Dallas allowed 23.4 rushing yards per game to opposing quarterbacks in 2025, and many weren't the caliber of runner Dart was.

Dart has a favorable matchup to showcase his rushing ability. He might also be called on to drop back often because the Giants are underdogs, but also because of the play-calling tendencies against the Cowboys after they acquired stud defensive lineman Quinnen Williams last year.

The league average for pass rate over expected (PROE) last year in the regular season was 0.4%. In Dallas's first 10 games of the year, before they acquired Williams, they faced a 1.6% PROE. That mark surged to an 8.4% PROE in the seven games Williams suited up for the Cowboys.

Furthermore, the Cowboys faced a 57.8% pass rate on snaps when Williams was off the field and a 69.7% pass rate on snaps when he was on the field. Dart could have his number called on a designed rush or two on Sunday Night Football, but his scrambling ability and the likelihood of him dropping back often fuel the appeal of his player prop for over 30.5 rushing yards.